Rescue hens

hollypink

Graces7 wrote: »

Do a very diligent search... every tuft of grass etc! Hens are very protective of their eggs and will hide them in the tiniest places.

That's caught us out a few times, just a few days ago with the rescue hens and twice before with our older non-rescue hens. My OH found a pile of eggs in a corner behind a bale of straw the other day, and before we got the rescues, when he was cutting down some nettles, he found two good sized piles. It was during the heatwave so we had just thought they had stopped laying due to the heat!

Three of our seven rescues are roosting now. One on the proper narrow roost which is the highest point and two on a wide beam a bit lower down. Another sits in a corner of the beam, I don't think she is actually roosting, just sitting in the corner, I suppose because it is high. The rest sleep in the nesting box.

Whispered

Thanks. OK i will have another search and see if I missed anywhere. I've just been reading. Two have very red backs but apparently this is normal with moulting. Moulting which often happens once out from under the battery lights and which causes them stop laying for a while.

We would easily use the 3 eggs a day if we had them. But going without for now rather than buy them, just on principle

Graces7

Whispered wrote: »

Thanks. OK i will have another search and see if I missed anywhere. I've just been reading. Two have very red backs but apparently this is normal with moulting. Moulting which often happens once out from under the battery lights and which causes them stop laying for a while.

We would easily use the 3 eggs a day if we had them. But going without for now rather than buy them, just on principle

as their arrival was so sudden, i had shop eggs but the dog has enjoyed those..and no more will be bought... nb think re 2 a day with three hens .

scarepanda

It's like a sport with my dad to see if he can find where the hens are nesting out! He doesn't really have a proper hens pen as such, they are just out the back with the turf and timber etc, lots of perfect nesting spots. They also have access to my uncles field so lots of ditches as well. He loves it though. And loves when mam gives out to him for the new chickens that appear every so often that she didn't know where down.

New Home

If you leave a rubber egg (in place of the real one you've collected) where they prefer to lay their eggs, it'll encourage them to stay in the same place.

Suckit

What would be a decent size hen pen or area to have 3 hens in? Or does everyone let them wander around their garden. What are cats like around them? Would they go for them?

New Home

Cats won't be a problem, hens are very good at standing up for themselves. If you had young chicks on their own, then maybe, but not grown hens.

scarepanda

New Home wrote: »

If you leave a rubber egg (in place of the real one you've collected) where they prefer to lay their eggs, it'll encourage them to stay in the same place.

Golf ball works as well!

New Home

Ah, but the rubber eggs are more fun, especially if you pretend to drop them in front of other people.




..........I know, I'm pathetic..........

Graces7

these hens are getting very bold... found them heading for the road, with dog licking her lips not too far away...The cats ignore the hens although all three were watching the drama, but dog is a different matter.

so they are early to bed... one is crooning as if going broody...

Graces7

New Home wrote: »

Cats won't be a problem, hens are very good at standing up for themselves. If you had young chicks on their own, then maybe, but not grown hens.

My cats are studiously "ignoring' the hens.. they know exactly where they are at all times but do not want to lose face..

Graces7

Whispered, how are the hens doing?

These two are each laying every day now but they had a different start from yours.

They have made a fine nest outside too..

Whispered

They're great. All pecking and pooping a lot. Laying a bit more now too. We got 3 in the last 3 days. The two bald-ish ones are still very red but you can see weird little nubs growing which I assume are feathers. One very very friendly one who is fully feathered, allows herself be touched, isn't phased by a screeching toddler telling her how cute she is at full volume. The other two are more nervous, but overcome it for melon seeds and do run over when we walk in with a plate of treats.

Now we do have one little issue. Fully feathered biggest lady isn't being very nice to the other ladies. And she doesn't just peck, she pecks then holds onto them while they try to get away. Little bitch. I can see why she's so big and healthy looking compared to the other two!

New Home

....are you sure she's not a young rooster? :eek:

Hens CAN be aggressive towards each other alright, I just thought I'd double check...

Whispered

I'd be super surprised, I could be wrong but I would expect a rooster to be taller and more slender, she has a typical "hen" shape. Plus she came from battery farm with the other two so I'm sure it would have been spotted.

New Home

If they-re young enough they might not get spotted for a while - I seem to remember that there's an 8-10% chance of error when they sex them (I hate knowing what happens to the "wrong" chicks...), so the odd time a cockerel gets through. But I do know what you mean about the "hen shape" .

BTW, Whispered, would you post a pic when you get a chance, please? I've been dying to see them!

Deub

The "worst" hens for hidding eggs are the small breads. We had them for years. They were friendly and always liked to be carried around in your arms. But they were sneaky with their eggs. We kept them in a fenced area. They sometimes used to fly above it, find a place to nest and cover the eggs with leaves, grass,etc and they would be back to the fenced area.

We usually found out because they smelled of rosemary or another plant. However the lady we got the hens from was not so lucky and sometimes would get her hen back 3 weeks later with little surprises...

New Home

I never noticed the smell of rosemary with mine, that's interesting!

Graces7

Deub wrote: »

The "worst" hens for hidding eggs are the small breads. We had them for years. They were friendly and always liked to be carried around in your arms. But they were sneaky with their eggs. We kept them in a fenced area. They sometimes used to fly above it, find a place to nest and cover the eggs with leaves, grass,etc and they would be back to the fenced area.

We usually found out because they smelled of rosemary or another plant. However the lady we got the hens from was not so lucky and sometimes would get her hen back 3 weeks later with little surprises...

Bantams!Best hen mothers there are and holy terrors where hiding their eggs.. All good mothers are protective! I used to set a mixed clutch under them.

Whispered

I can't embed on my mobile. So pics attached.

New Home

Love them, thanks for that! You can really see their personalities, the way they look at you!

New Home

Is it just me, or do they look like their beaks were trimmed a little bit?

Whispered

New Home wrote: »

Is it just me, or do they look like their beaks were trimmed a little bit?

The three of them have have square top beaks (I know that's not the right term but you know what I mean). One of them has a top beak that seems a bit off to the side.

Graces7

wonderful that they are safe with you.poor girls! .

How old are they? Mine are I think a year, but are smaller.... especially the combs..

Beady eyes!

Whispered

They're like little raptors. Myself and husband got out to the cinema for the first time in years and chose the film based on what time suited best. So ended up seeing Jurassic World. We kept laughing at the most inappropriate times because of the similarities.

I'm not sure of their age but I think around 18months is when they're no longer financially viable so I'd say between 18m-2yrs maybe?

Graces7

They are delightfully simple creatures! food is life. Now I call mine and when they hear that word, they come running.. so appreciative..

airy fairy

We are due to adopt 5 ladies soon, first experience of Rhode island and adopting hens.
We currently have 3 hens with a few years, (there were a few more but old age...) They are free-loaders at this stage, the odd egg, but generally nothing now!
So we decided to take on 5.
Has anyone tips on how to integrate these ladies?
Have a barna type shed, top layer occupied by the oldies, both perches and nesting atea, have a few layers of perches but I believe these ladies can't perch. So should we put nesting boxes on the ground rather than try get them up higher to other nests?
I presume we'll have to keep them apart etc? Any tips?
Have introduced hens to each other before,but no vulnerable girls like this.
Any advice is appreciated.

Whispered

I'm really not good with lumps and "protrusions" like spots etc. One of the girls has all her feathers coming back and it's turning my stomach to look at her back. Like a physical retching. I hope it doesn't take long to get past the bursting through the skin stage. *shudder*

The brazen chicken (Millie) is really picking on the other two now. It's mad to watch. She's not content to keep them away from her food, she's rushing at them when they eat too even if they're far away from her. Will they sort this out between them? Maybe it's normal chicken behaviour! She's also pecking at our hands when we are doing anything in the run. Little madam is so bold

I'm thinking of adding 2 more hens. I'd like to not have to buy eggs and we go through a lot. 2/3 day would be fine but at the moment that's not happening. Should I give it more time before deciding on more?

I found an egg in the grass today. It almost definitely wasn't there yesterday afternoon as I did check. Is it ok to eat?
I'm going to see if I can do anything today to make their house more comfy for laying and I think I'll add some wooden boxes outside the house but close to it too, so if they do want to lay out they have somewhere to do it.

angeldaisy

we started out with 4 rescue hens and end up with 17 and a custom made hen house.
It's addictive! at least we don't have to buy eggs

Whispered

How did you find introductions? Did you get all rescues or a mixture?